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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1984/08/20 - ADMIN - Minutes - City Council - RegularMINUTES ADMINISTRATIVE HEARING ST. LOUIS PARK CITY COUNCIL August 20, 1984 7:00 p.m. A special meeting of the City Council was called to order by Mayor Pro Tem Meland at 7:00 p.m. The following Council members were present: Ronald Backes, Thomas Duffy, Keith Meland, Jerrold Martin, Larry Mitchell and Richard Strohl. Also present were the Assistant to the City Manager, City Attorney and Acting Chief of Police. The City Attorney reviewed the facts of the case which occurred on October 18, 1983. Uniformed officers were dispatched to Bunny's Liquors, 4730 Excelsior Blvd. upon a request for medical assistance. Upon their arrival, they discovered there had been a fight within the bar and that two persons were injured. The injured parties were taken to Methodist Hospital, one with a broken leg and the other with a dislocated shoulder. Both persons were of legal age. While investigating the disturbance, officers noted that one of the customers, Lisa Katherine Johnson, age 18, had apparently been consuming alcoholic beverages at the establishment. She was arrested as a minor consuming alcoholic beverages. Steven Henry Wisdorf, the bartender at Bunny's, confirmed that he in fact supplied an alcoholic beverage to Miss Johnson after she had indicated that it was for one of the persons injured in the fight. On November 21, 1983 Lisa Katherine Johnson pled guilty to a violation Of the City ordinance which prohibits a minor from consuming alcoholic beverages. She received a $50 suspended fine. On May 15, 1984 Steven Henry Wisdorf pled guilty to selling alcoholic beverages to a minor and he received a S50 fine. Both guilty pleas were for violations of St. Louis Park Ordinance 12-1406. The City Attorney continued that the record included notice of the hearing lrhich had originally been scheduled for August 6, 1984 but had been deferred to August 20 at the request of Bunny's counsel) and a copy of the St. Louis Park police report. He advised the Council that the purpose of the administra- tive hearing was an investigation of the liquor license violation and was not a judicial proceeding. He also informed Council that the violations Of the City's ordinance and subsequent judicial actions were not being contested by the licensee. Ns• Bev Kogan, president of Bunny's Liquors, appeared before the Council stating that it was her understanding Lisa Johnson had received a drink from the bartender to help her friend who had been injured in the fight. 4s• Kogan had also encouraged the bartender, Steven Wisdorf, to plead not guilty to the charge of selling alcohol to a minor. Councilman Martin asked Ms. Johnson to address the Council. She indicated that prior to the incident in question she had not purchased any alcoholic beverages at Bunny's that evening. She also stated that it had been her intention to provide the alcoholic beverage which was purchased from the bartender to her injured boyfriend. Administrative hearing Page 2 Mayor Pro Tem Meland inquired as to whether or not the employees of the establishment had attended previously held liquor education meetings. Acting Chief Morris responded that they had come this past year and anticipated their attendance this coming year. Chief Morris reported to the Council that since 1978, the St. Louis Park Police Department has had four contacts with Bunny's resulting in three letters of warning which were concerned with unauthorized persons on the premises after hours. Mr. Wisdorf, the bartender at Bunny's, reported to Council that he had witnessed the fight and had seen one of the injured parties hand money to the girl who had approached the bar asking for a drink. He stated that he saw the purchaser, Lisa Johnson, return with the drink to her injured boyfriend and that she did not consume any of the alcoholic beverage. Councilman Martin stated that he didn't feel the City Council should penalize the owner of an establishment for the conduct of one of its patrons. He moved that the Council authorize no penalty for Bunny's Liquors for the violation of August 18, 1983. Councilman Backes seconded the motion. The Council members present voted 6-0 to impose no penalty on Bunny's Liquors. The administrative hearing adjourned at approximately 7:12 p.m. dr"isrGea�rs Administrative Assistant